Building Trust Area

Innovation Without Borders: New Cross-Border Business Opportunities

Technology partnership is a driver for economic development and the creation of new strategic alliances. Russian tech companies have proven to be reliable solution providers on international markets. Smart manufacturing, fintech, transport, and infrastructure are key aspects in the development of business partnerships between Russian and African companies.
What measures of state, financial, and informational support does business need to make this cooperation to a primary focus in the development of foreign trade cooperation between Russia and Africa? What opportunities and areas are most interesting for the implementation of joint cross-border projects?
• Strategies for entering the African market: special aspects and development potential
• Prospects for high-tech cooperation between Russia and Africa
• International collaboration with leading startups
• Development of new economic zones
• From export to production localization
• Cross-border opportunities for SMEs

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Promotion of Russian culture among foreign youth

One of the priority focuses for Russia’s development is to realize the creative potential of young people in such areas as science and innovation. The country’s scientific and technological potential cannot develop without exchanging experience with international colleagues and specialists. Introducing foreign students to the specifics, technologies, and cultural features of Russia helps to build a foundation for entrepreneurial activities and economic collaboration between countries.
• Does an international cultural and scientific exchange need to be established? What are the goals and prospects?
• What mechanisms and programmes can be implemented to expand international relations? What are the roles and advantages of business in these programmes?

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Telemedicine. How will digital technology change the face of healthcare systems in African countries?

Reducing the disease burden in African countries and preventing the economies of those countries from lagging behind global indicators can be done through the establishment of effective healthcare systems. Such systems should be able to face current challenges and ensure that the population is healthy and fit to work. Following the implementation of international and national programmes aimed at combating infectious disease in the region, there have been increasing calls to combat heart-related diseases, cancer, and diabetes. Poorly developed healthcare infrastructure in many countries means that healthcare cannot be fully administered in rural, remote and hard-to-reach areas. The lack of qualified medical personnel further hinders timely diagnosis and treatment. One way of solving these problems is through the use of telemedical solutions and technology, along with fixed and portable equipment which harnesses artificial intelligence technology.
Will the transition to digital healthcare be able to substantially reduce the disease burden in African countries? Which of the most promising Russian telemedical solutions and artificial intelligence products in the healthcare sector can help the African region? What effect might the implementation of modern fixed and portable telemedicine equipment have?

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Benchmarking session ‘Startups vs SMEs: Partnership in Innovation 2020’

The business environment is regarded as something big and sluggish that has no place for innovation. A startup, in contrast, is thought of as something vigorous that can change reality and imbue the world with new values. On the other hand, there is the issue of stability. SMEs are considered a more stable structure that is responsible to a large number of customers. A startup can easily turn out to be something unstable or highly overrated.
This discussion will also address the trend of accelerators in large business structures that try to grow startups within companies.
Questions for discussion:
How can these two structures benefit one another? Which methods of two-way interaction are most effective? What risks might they face? What are the special aspects of building partnerships with customers and buyers? Why do innovations need to be introduced in entrepreneurship now?

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Russia–Africa: What’s next?

Russian-African relations have become a priority for Russia.
Events devoted to the development of Russian-African relations have been regularly held as part of forums since 2017. The first Russia–Africa Public Forum was held in 2018. The Russia–Africa Summit is the first large-scale event in the history of relations between our countries. There is great potential for economic, political, and humanitarian cooperation with the countries of the African continent, so we must ask the question – what are the prospects for further cooperation between our countries?

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Business Priority: Perspective pitch session

Members of an expert council have selected the seven best tech startup projects to present them at the Business Priority: Perspective pitch session. The discussion participants will pay special attention to the prospects for exporting Russian products to the African continent and the special aspects of the countries’ markets. The expert panel will include representatives of investment funds, the federal and regional authorities, corporations, large and medium-sized businesses, angel investors as well as delegations from African countries. Participants will discuss the investment climate in Russia and ways to enhance its innovative potential.

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Open-talk: traverser le désert

The Business Priority project will feature an open talk concerning the development of end-to-end technologies in such areas as water supply, water treatment, and alternative sources of fresh water. Representatives of high-tech companies will talk about the industry’s development and the methods used for water extraction and the treatment of water facilities, will analyse the main barriers, and share experience and tips for making a technological breakthrough based on existing technologies.

Pitch session: Smart city 2020

A smart city is an interconnected system of communication and information technologies with the Internet of Things (IoT) that simplifies the management of a city’s internal processes and improves the population’s standard of living. A smart city enhances people’s standard of living and reduces the costs of work processes by automating activities that do not require the use of analytical skills. What technologies are the driving force for the development of territories today? What trends can we expect in the next five years? How can we improve the life of communities in Russia and Africa and impact the sustainable development of territories?

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Women at the forefront of humanitarian aid

An enormous number of people around the world need humanitarian aid today. The provision of emergency and long-term humanitarian aid includes food, shelter, medical supplies, and logistical support. Women are often the first to come to the rescue and can serve as agents of global change. According to studies, women make up 75% of the employees at non-profit organizations. However, their numbers in senior positions are still low. During the session, participants will talk about humanitarian initiatives and projects around the world and ways to increase humanitarian aid and cooperation.

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